


Memories in the Night

by Arika_Ito



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, FE3H Kinkmeme, Slavery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-12-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:46:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25780813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arika_Ito/pseuds/Arika_Ito
Summary: When Dimitri sees Edelgard on the streets of Fhirdiad in a slave auction, he acts on instinct. He buys her. He just doesn't realize what he's getting himself into and neither does she.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Edelgard von Hresvelg
Comments: 19
Kudos: 81
Collections: FE3H Kink Meme





	1. Chapter 1

“Stop!” Dimitri shouts, running after the man that threw a rotten tomato at Dedue. The foul fruit splattered all over the Duscurian teen and Dimitri was upset for him. Dedue follows after him as they wind through zagging alleys until Dimitri can no longer see him.

“Your Majesty,” Dedue chides when he catches up to him, the tomato already drying on his clothes. "You do not need to do this.” He sighs, as he examines their surroundings and stiffens, “It is not safe here,” he murmurs, his eyes darting around.

Dimitri frowns. He hates when Dedue acts like this, like he’s less than Dimitri’s care. “Very well,” Dimitri glances around. “Where are we?” He asks tentatively. He does not recognize this part of Fhirdiad. They were in the market area before Dedue was assaulted. Dimitri knows he was attacked for being a Duscurian.

He is 16, and it has almost been three years since the worst day of his life. He will be King in two years but until then, his uncle is in charge. He will leave for the Officer’s Academy in a year and he intends to have Dedue by his side, no matter the protests. 

“We are in the black market district,” Dedue notes quietly, pulling a blade from his waist. “Please stay close to me,” he requests, gently, watching everyone around him. Dimitri notices the broken homes and beggars on the street. He feels very sad all of a sudden. He’d never seen this part of Fhirdiad, he wouldn’t have unless he didn’t chase that man.

Dimitri swallows, his throat dry. He has some coin on him as he was doing some shopping amongst the merchants. His clothes are expensive. But people wouldn’t rob him for his cloak, right?

“Let us head back to the palace,” Dedue says softly, guiding Dimitri back towards the towering hill where the palace of Fhirdiad sits. “We should not be here.”

Clamor emerges from the center of a courtyard as people begin to murmur quietly. Dimitri’s gaze automatically darts towards the scene. “What’s going on?” He spots many men, women, and children, all dressed in rags and chained. His heart drops to his stomach.

“It is a slave auction,” Dedue says stiffly. His hands tighten around the dagger, Dimitri spots some Duscurians amongst the chained.

“Slavery is illegal in Faerghus,” Dimitri protests, his hands clenching. If only he was King, he could fix Faerghus. His uncle would prefer to spend his time on women and drinking. He has heard of slavery occurring in Fodlan but he never thought he would see the evidence in Fhirdiad, Faerghus’s capital.

“That matters little on the black market,” Dedue responds, trying to push Dimitri from the crowd. He wants to take him back to the palace but Dimitri can’t help but watch as the auction begins.

Well-dressed rich men emerge from the shadows as the bids begin in earnest. Despite their appearance, they don’t spend very much money auctioning. Most likely because the people being auctioned off look half dead. A row of men and women are auctioned off with very little reaction from the crowd or themselves. These people are used to this sight.

A small pale girl is yanked to the front of the auction stage as the auctioneer begins to shout numbers. She’s covered in scars and her hair is limp and white as it shadows her face. She looks the worst out of the bunch. The brown shift does not cover her scarred arms or legs. She waits on her knees as the auctioneer waits to hear the bids. She raises her head and her eyes are revealed.

“50 gold!” Dimitri shouts, raising his hand. He’s shaking. Dedue stares at him as if he were mad. But he knows her. “50 gold!” He shouts again. The auctioneer grins and slams down the mallet, pleased at the sale he made. But if he knew who she really was, he’d be upset.

Dimitri marches his way to the stage, pulling out his purse. He puts the money down, shaking as she is pulled off her knees. She’s shoved towards him with little care as her chains rattle.

“Dimitri,” Dedue mutters. He knows better than to use his title here. If the people knew who Dimitri really was, how would they react, he wonders? Would they care? Or would they just go about their lives.

He pulls her into an alley way, examining her dirtied appearance. Dimitri brushes the hair away from her face. Yes, even from a distance, he knew her.  _ El.  _ He cups her face gently. She narrows her eyes.

She sinks her teeth into his hand, biting into his palm. Dedue shoves her towards the ground as Dimitri winces. Blood oozes out of the wound as she spits on the floor, glaring at him balefully. She bares her teeth. She can’t run anywhere as shackles bind her hands and feet.

“Your majesty,” Dedue murmurs, pulling out bandages from his pack. Dedue diligently covers the wound with the bandage as Dimitri stares at her. She bit him.

He thought she was dead. His stepmother bawled the night of her return. He didn’t realize that El was her daughter until after she left Faerghus with her uncle. He thought she was dead. The Emperor lost all 11 of his children over the course of years, she was one of the last. She died only months after the Tragedy of Duscur, lost in the haze of grief. He sobbed when he heard of her passing. But here she was. Alive and proved by his bleeding palm.

“Let us go to the palace,” Dimitri commands, his mind in a haze. Dedue stares at him, his hand drops Dimitri’s bloodied one.

“Your majesty,” Dedue sputters, staring down at El as they tower over her. “I must insist-” She has hardly moved since Dedue shoved her, lying in a puddle of water. Her clothes, if you can call them that, are soaked to the bone. She doesn’t seem to care. The girl who hated Faerghus winters isn’t affected by soiled clothing. Dimitri would wonder if she’s the same girl but he saw her eyes. She shared them with her mother.

Dimitri shakes his head. “We are taking her back with us,” he orders firmly. He’s not leaving El here. The money was a drop compared to what was in the palace. But he’s not leaving her on the streets of Fhirdiad. He’s not losing what little family he has left. 


	2. Chapter 2

Dimitri wants to bring her through the palace gates but Dedue convinces him that it’s not a good idea. Bringing in a disheveled young woman with a bite mark on his hands would raise suspicions. With a promise not to lose her, Dedue escorts her through the servant passageway up to his quarters. Dedue has his own rooms near Dimitri; the Faerghus nobility threw a fit over his accommodations but soon realized they were falling on deaf ears. Dimitri cared little for their complaints, Dedue had been there when they were not. He would not have him treated as a lesser being. 

He wants to get her clean, the grime on her body doesn’t suit her. He reaches his room with little aplomb, most of the servants keep their head down when they see Dimitri. Because the way through the servant’s passageway is faster, Dedue is already with her with Edelgard. She glares at him with contempt in her eyes. He swallows, taking in her appearance. He sees the scars trailing up her arms and her legs, disappearing underneath that misshapen shift of hers. He will need to get her new clothing as well soon enough. 

“Would you mind drawing up a warm bath?” Dimitri asks Dedue quietly. The Duscurian man nods and leaves them both, Edelgard sitting on a chair disinterested in her surroundings. He wonders if she remembers him, most likely not given the bite marks on his hand.

The Edelgard of his memories was a fond one- bossy but sweet, she taught him how to dance. She would have never bitten him. He hasn’t told Dedue yet why he purchased her, how could he? He would sound like a madman. But he knew that this was Edelgard, princess of Adrestia. How did she end up on the streets of Faerghus? What happened to bring her here?

Upon further inspection, her hair is caked with dirt and blood, staining her white hair slightly pink at the roots. The shift is barely there, ripped and torn. It rides up her thighs, revealing soft but firm flesh and Dimitri looks away, blushing slightly. He wonders if she can even talk, she hasn’t said a single word since he bought her from the slave traders.

He raises a hand to brush away the dirtied locks of her hair behind her ear and stills, glaring at him balefully. She bares her teeth and Dimitri retracts his hand swiftly, he didn’t feel threatened by Edelgard but he’d prefer not to get bitten by her again. 

Dedue clears his throat. “The bath is ready, your highness.” Dimitri stands up immediately, pulling Edelgard up with him with a tug on her wrist. She stumbles, following after him. Dedue watches her suspiciously. 

He opens his mouth but Dimitri interrupts him instead. “That will be all,” Dimitri says hurriedly. Dedue stares him but says nothing. He nods jerkily as Dimitri guides her into the bathroom. 

Dimitri tests the water first, he trusts Dedue to follow his instructions but he wants to make sure that the water is good enough for Edelgard. She used to complain about the Faerghus winters and he doubts that her tolerance for the cold has changed. 

Edelgard stares at him blankly as Dimitri hesitates on his next steps. He doesn’t want to put Edelgard into the warm water with her clothes on. But the shift she’s wearing is only one piece so he would have to pull it over her head. However, he doesn’t look forward to the prospect of that.

He takes out the knife that he keeps belted at his waist, staring at it. She’s going to get new clothes anyways. He doesn’t think she’ll mind if he cuts it off her. But he misses the sharp look she gives at the knife, her head jerking up from the weapon to him. Her body tenses as her knees slightly bend, she’s waiting. 

“I’m sorry about this,” Dimitri says apologetically, holding the knife in one hand. He lowers his hand to grab at the shift near her knees and she shrieks, a loud painful one that pierces his ears and shoves him away. The knife clatters to the floor as Dimitri falls to the ground hard as she backs away, cowering from the knife. 

The door slams open as Dedue enters the room, knife at the ready. He takes in the scene of Edelgard backed against the wall and Dimitri shoved to the ground, the knife right next to him. He stares at Dimitri first and then Edelgard and sighs, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Edelgard stares him with his knife in hand, tensing at the sight. 

Dedue bends one knee, putting the knife down, and slowly stands back up, both of his hands raised as he approaches her slowly. She watches him warily as he steps closer to her. Dimitri watches them both, Dedue towering over her small figure. Dedue keeps his hands raised and then points to the bathtub. Her eyes follow the gesture and she relaxes a smidgen, her shoulders dropping. 

Dedue slowly bends down, his hands grasping at the shift by her thighs and she watches him carefully but does nothing. In one smooth motion, he yanks the shift up over her head and reveals her naked form. 

Dimitri’s first instinct is to cover his eyes but they’re drawn to the numerous amount of scars on her body. They don’t look like the ones on his or Dedue’s body, they look measured and precise. He inhales, a sharp intake of breath. What happened to Edelgard?

His eyes drift up and down her form from her legs to her small but perky bosom. He flushes, turning away. Dedue doesn’t even react, leading her to the bath. She takes a step in, sitting on the steps. Dedue grabs a small bucket by the tub, scooping it with water. 

Edelgard watches him as he raises it and flinches when he dumps it over her head but she doesn’t scream or react. He lathers up his hands, using Dimitri’s soap to run it through her hair. Dimitri watches the entire time as Dedue runs his hands over her body with a cloth, scrubbing her down pink. He feels out of place here so he leaves, abandoning Dedue to the task of cleaning Edelgard. He’s ashamed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dimitri's sweet but also a dumbass. Granted he just bought a slave on the black market and not even Dedue knows why. Edelgard doesn't like knives (no duh) and Dedue realizes that. Probably because of his experiences with Duscurians and the Tragedy of Duscur and what not, so he's more used to handling feral!Edelgard. Plus I'm sure when Dimitri has his days, Dedue is the one to take care of him or so I headcanon. 
> 
> I'm having a little bit of trouble finishing Glass Axe. I'm planning for 36 chapters and I'm halfway done writing chapter 35 but it doesn't quite feel natural to me yet. I took a week off from writing and it helped a bit, I got through the first three scenes I had planned but other than that, it's not great. Chapter 36 will be an abbreviated chapter so there's less pressure but as a result, Chapter 35 is kind of like the ending? Chapter 36 will be the cherry on top. I'm hoping this helps but we'll see. Let me know what you think!


	3. Chapter 3

* * *

They got El clothed properly, Dedue brought her a dress and brushed out her long shiny white hair. She hasn’t said a single word this entire time, only nodding or grunting. Dimitri wonders what happened to her. When they were younger, El could talk for hours about flowers, the skies, music, anything. 

Dedue sighs, drying his hands off with a towel. Dimitri knows that Dedue isn’t very happy about this situation but he hasn’t complained yet. “Where will she stay?” Dedue asks quietly, hanging the towel up. Dimitri shoots him a look. 

“She can’t stay with you,” Dedue answers simply before Dimitri can open his mouth. 

“Why not?” Dimitri asks aghast. Dedue looks at him flatly.

“Your majesty,” Dedue sighs again. “Think of how it will look. I am sure that word has already spread around the palace about her. People will talk.” 

“Oh.” Dimitri says slowly. He looks back at El with her hands in her lap, looking downwards. While slavery was outlawed in Faerghus, people still had slaves and they used them for unsavory purposes. But El wasn’t a slave. He would never touch her like that. “Can- can you?”

Dedue nods. “I can,” he says calmly. “Until we can find further quarters for her, she can stay with me. I have an extra bed in my room.”

“Dedue, thank you for everything,” Dimitri squeezes his friend’s arm. Despite his disapproval, Dedue has been nothing but helpful. Dedue smiles briefly and looks at her. 

“Why her?” Dedue asks quietly. El’s eyes flicker upwards, meeting Dedue’s calm green ones before she looks away. He dried her hair roughly before combing it. There were quite a few tangles and knots in her hair so it took some time to brush through it. 

Dimitri swallows. He trusts Dedue with his life...but he might not trust him with El’s life. How could he tell him? That she was the lost princess of Adrestia, who died several years ago? That she was hidden in Faerghus? Who would believe him? 

“I wanted to,” Dimitri lies through his teeth. Dedue looks at him disbelievingly and then shakes his head. 

“Very well,” Dedue says. He walks up calmly to her, kneeling so she can see him without raising her head. “What is your name?” He asks.

El looks at him with big purple eyes and slowly shakes her head. Dimitri swallows, how much does she not remember? What happened to her?

“Okay then,” Dedue says. “Then what shall we call you?” 

“We could call her El,” Dimitri suggests. There weren’t many in the palace who remembered her. His father was dead and his friends never met her. She was hidden in a castle in the outskirts of Fhirdiad. Dimitri and his father were the only ones who met her. “Is that okay with you?” 

El blinks, thinking and then nods. “El,” she sounds out the word slowly. “El.” 

Dimitri looks at Dedue excitedly, who quirks his lips in a small smile. “I’ll get her something to eat,” Dedue states. “She must be hungry.” As if on cue, her stomach gurgles loudly. It’s almost the afternoon but Dedue can fetch them dinner. His uncle may host a small feast but Dimitri won’t be expected to attend. 

Dimitri sits on the bed next to her and she flinches, edging away. She raises her head to look at him expectantly. 

“I’m not going to hurt you,” Dimitri babbles, all of his calm leaving when Dedue exited the room. It’s just that after the Tragedy of Duscur, it felt like his world fell apart. His father and stepmother died as did Glenn. He had no one around him except Dedue. To have El back in his life, it felt like a small part of him returned. “I just-”

“You’re new at this,” El remarks quietly, examining Dimitri. “You don’t buy slaves.” She looks at him with a different light. 

Dimitri shakes his head. His arrival at the slave trade was a coincidence. His luck at finding El was just that, luck. 

“But you’re someone important,” El says accusingly. “You have money, you live in the palace. You’ve never bought a slave?” 

“No,” Dimitri says hoarsely. “I’ve never intended to buy a slave either.” He swallows, his adam’s apple bobbing. He acted on impulse. He saw her and knew who she was. 

“You are strange,” El remarks coldly, she looks away at the tapestries in his room. 

Dedue comes back in with a tray of food. “Some things from the kitchens,” he announces, setting it on the table. Dimitri stands up, examining the food that Dedue procured. He has some Onion Gratin soup, Faerghus Sweet Buns, and a few apples. 

He ladles the soup into three bowls, splitting the Faerghus Sweet Buns between the three of them. He hands the bowl of soup to El and before he can give her a spoon, she tilts her head back, pouring the soup down her throat. They both stare at her. 

“What.” El says flatly, wiping away soup from her face. Dedue shakes his head, taking his bowl of soup, eating with a spoon. Dimitri does the same as El grabs the Faerghus Sweet Bun, shoving it into her mouth. She stops in mid-bite, looking down at the sweet bread. She chews it slowly and swallows. “This tastes good,” El murmurs. “Really good.” She bites her lip, looking down at the half-eaten Faerghus Sweet Bun.

Dimitri looks at her hopefully. She had Faerghus Sweet Buns several times with him when they were together. They were her favorite. He makes a noise in his throat. “Do you want mine?” He asks, pushing it over to her. He liked them too as a child but since the Tragedy of Duscur, food hasn’t quite tasted the same. 

El looks at him with big eyes and nods, palming the Faerghus Sweet Bun and holding it in her lap protectively. 

“You can have mine as well,” Dedue murmurs, gifting his as well. 

El’s lips twitch before she breaks out in a smile. “Thank you.”

This is a step. This is a big step. She remembers something. 


	4. Chapter 4

* * *

The next few weeks pass as El is settled in the palace. They find her clothing, teaching her how to read and write. When she was younger, El was a voracious reader and that doesn’t seem to have changed much, even in her amnesiatic state. The servants notice her but his uncle does not.

That would require him to be able to look beyond the bottom of his wine cup or away from his new bedside companion. Dimitri longs for the day he is crowned King. He sees his people suffering and yet he can do little for them.

Dedue is still wary of El. He looks to Dimitri for direction on most things even as Dimitri begins to neglect the letters from Ingrid and Lord Rodrigue. He hasn’t told them about El yet. How could he explain her to them? Even Lord Rodrigue did not know about El when she was here with her uncle. He knew about his stepmother but not about her daughter with the Adrestian Emperor.

Despite Dedue’s wariness, El still sleeps in his room. Dimitri owes Dedue everything. She wakes up from forgotten nightmares almost weekly; she is plagued in her sleep like him. She won’t talk about her dreams, she hardly remembers them. But she wakes up pale and clammy every time.

“Your majesty,” Dedue hands him his mail over breakfast; they are sequestered in a small room, eating a simple fare for breakfast. El still has a sweet tooth from childhood and it shows in the foods she eats.

Dimitri swallows, spotting the seal of the Church of Seiros on a thick letter. The Officer’s Academy. He had almost forgotten…

He stops eating, unsealing the letter as the stack of correspondence falls into his lap. He’s due to leave for the Officer’s Academy in a few months. He’s written to the Archbishop’s secretary, a man by the name of Seteth, about Dedue’s attendance. He’s kept that a secret from the Duscurian teen but he sneaks a look at El, devouring the platter of fruit in front of her. He wants El to be there as well if he can.

“Your majesty?” Dedue asks, his attention solely on him. “Is everything alright?”

Dimitri smiles and nods, slipping the letter back into the envelope. “Yes, of course. Thank you for retrieving the post, Dedue.”

El’s eyes flicker between him and Dedue, thoughtfully. She’s still as observant as ever. “Who is the letter from?” She asks between orange slices. “It looked important.”

Dimitri hesitates- he’s tried his best not to lie to either Dedue or El but this topic could be upsetting to them both. “It was a letter from the Archbishop’s secretary regarding my attendance at the Officer’s Academy. I’ll need to sit for the entrance exam soon.” He makes a small noise in his throat. “As will you Dedue.”

Dedue drops his toast onto his plate. “Your majesty,” he protests.

Dimitri cuts him off with a strained smile. “I will have you there, Dedue and I won’t hear anything else about it.” It has been a contentious topic between the two of them. In a few months, he will leave for the Officer’s Academy for a year. There, he will hopefully find some answers regarding the Tragedy of Duscur. He’s worried about Dedue if he doesn’t come with him. Many nobles do not like his presence by their prince’s side. Something could happen to him if he wasn’t there.

“The Officer’s Academy?” El asks curiously, breaking into the conversation. “The Archbishop?” She looks at them both. “What are those?” She can sense the tension between the two of them.

“The Officer’s Academy is where nobles learn the art of warfare,” Dedue explains dutifully. “It is sponsored by the Church of Seiros. Dimitri will be there within the year to learn and study.” Dedue holds his gaze. Dedue doesn’t feel that it’s appropriate for him to be there either but Dimitri digresses.

“The Church of Seiros?” El tilts her head. “What’s the Church of Seiros?” She chews on her lip nervously.

“We haven’t read about that yet,” Dedue says as a way of explanation to her. “But the Church of Seiros is led by the Archbishop and is the leading faith of Fodlan. They have influence in all three countries of Fodlan.”

“The Kingdom, the Alliance, and the Empire, correct?” She looks at them both. She’s picked up so much in the few weeks they’ve spent with her. Dedue nods. “Why don’t you want to be there?” She asks Dedue.

Dedue makes a small noise in his throat. “I am Duscurian and there are those who feel differently about me.” El watches Dedue with big purple eyes.

“But you’re so nice,” El murmurs. “Why wouldn’t they like you?” Dimitri swallows, watching the scene unfold. El usually stays in Dedue’s room. She does not see how he is treated inside and outside of the palace.

“That is a topic for another day,” Dedue answers calmly, taking away their clean plates of food. He leaves them both at the small table.

Dimitri sits in silence before El turns to him. “Tell me,” she demands quickly, looking at him.

Dimitri’s hands clench underneath the table. “People don’t like the Duscurians,” he explains calmly. “They think- they think that my father died because of them.”

El watches him carefully. “But you don’t.” She whispers, her eyes meeting his. “He wouldn’t be here if you did.”

“That’s correct,” Dimitri murmurs. “I’ll show you a book on it later. I-I don’t like talking about it.”

El nods, chewing on her lip. “If Dedue was to go with you to the Officer’s Academy, what would happen to me?” She folds both her hands into her lap, waiting for an answer expectantly.

“I would like you there as well,” Dimitri answers truthfully. He watches El’s slender figure. She’d have to learn so much and she’d have to undergo fierce training. What would she even learn? The Empire’s specialty was Magic but they also used Axes there. Dedue could teach her how to fight.

El scrunches up her pert nose, wrinkling her forehead. “Didn’t you say there was an entrance exam?” As the crown prince, he would be expected to take the exam. But the fees would be reduced for him. It wouldn’t do for the future King of Faerghus not to attend the Officer’s Academy.

He nods. “There is,” he confirms. “If you were to take it, you’d have to do a lot of studying.” He amends the statement carefully. “We’d have to do a lot of studying.” As it was, his uncle would be of no help. He attended the Officer’s Academy like his father but any lessons he had for his nephew would be useless.

El bites her lip, turning it white. “I’d like to go,” she whispers. “When do we start?” She looks at him hopefully. Dimitri smiles, if El was going then Dedue would feel obligated to come too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writer's Block is no fun. It's mostly borne out of stress due to current political events but hopefully I'll make my way through it. Now that the election has been called, I can't stop worrying about that particular stressor. 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed! It's slow going right now but hopefully, I'll be able to speed things along.


	5. Chapter 5

* * *

The morning before they leave for the Officer’s Academy, Dedue finds a lump underneath his blankets beside him. He sighs, lifting the covers. “El,” he admonishes quietly. “You cannot keep doing this.” The small slave girl is curled into a small ball next to him. She groans and reaches for the cover. 

“It’s cold,” she mutters, dragging the blanket over her head. They discovered that winter that El had little tolerance for the cold. She bundled herself in as many layers as she could.

“You have to wake up,” Dedue says, peeling the blankets from her. “We need to get ready for the Officer’s Academy.” All of them studied long and hard for the exam and managed to pass. The admission fees were taken care of by Dimitri as his uncle cared little beyond his food and drink and women. 

El grouses but slowly rises, her hair a tangled mess. “It’s a three-day journey to Garreg Mach, right?” Dedue nods, preparing the morning tea for everyone. She reaches for the brush beside his bed and runs it through her hair. All of their things were packed the night before and all that really matters is leaving. Dimitri does not want a grand procession. He wants to leave before the castle begins to wake. 

When finished, El braids her hair and ties it off, throwing it over her shoulder. Dedue hands her a cup of warm tea and she takes it gratefully, her slim fingers wrapping around the cup delicately. He takes a cup and a platter over to Dimitri as part of his morning duties. 

He walks in, Dimitri already at the sink washing the night’s sleep away. “Thank you Dedue,” Dimitri says cheerfully, wiping his face with a towel. “Is El awake already?” Dedue nods, setting the cup of tea on the table. 

The sun barely peeks over the trees, darkness still in the sky. They are up extremely early but while the trip to Garreg Mach only takes three days, it is a long two days. They will stop at Lord Charon’s castle for the night but they need to make it there first. “Be ready to leave in thirty minutes,” Dimitri smiles, reaching for the tea. 

Dedue nods again, heading for the kitchen to grab some fruit for their morning meal. He will stop by the stables to make sure everything is ready for their departure. They will be at the Officer’s Academy soon. He is nervous. 

* * *

El snacks on an apple as they travel on the roads. They have a wagon packed with their things and some members of the Royal Guard accompanying them but it’s a small party. “You’ll know some members of our class at the Officer’s Academy, right?” She asks Dimitri quietly. She runs her fingers through her hair distractedly. The braid has loosened with their time on the road. “What are they like?” 

Dimitri pauses in his thoughts, his hands holding on the reins of his horse. “I will know a few of them.” He ticks off his fingers, “Sylvain, Felix, and Ingrid. We were friends when we were younger. Sylvain is older...he’s a bit of a flirt.” He murmurs. “But we’re working on it!” He adds brightly.

“Felix...he has a sharp tongue but he means well. Ingrid is diligent, industrious, and principled. She’s a hard worker. I’m sure you get along with all three of them.” Dimitri says about his friends. Dedue has met them all before. It wasn’t what he would have called a pleasant meeting. Felix and Ingrid were still grieving over the Tragedy of Duscur. Sylvain was pleasant but his eyes were often distracted. 

El tucks a lock of hair over her ear, smiling at Dedue. They’ll be at Garreg Mach soon. They’ve spent the past year preparing El for Garreg Mach. She’s most skilled with Axe, like Dedue. Any attempts to teach her Faerghus combat traditions failed miserably. 

“Wow,” El murmurs when Garreg Mach Monastery comes into view. It sits on top of a high mountain, as the clouds partially obscure it from view. She looks at both of them excitedly. “That’s it, right?”

Dimitri smiles warmly at her and nods. “That’s it,” he confirms. “That’ll be our home for the next year.” They ride over to the large gate that connects to the bridge. There are guards waiting near the end but it’s not heavily guarded. 

El swallows, looking up at the vast castle. Dedue sympathizes, he too stared in awe when he first saw the palace in Fhirdiad. The wagon containing their belongings follows after them as they dismount their horses. These steeds are well trained but it will be easier for them to travel the rest on foot. 

“Identification?” One of the guards says roughly while the other one watches Dedue warily. He is used to it- it is not different from the treatment he receives in Fhirdiad, even after all these years. 

“Prince Dimitri from Faerghus and his companions, El Molinaro and Dedue Molinaro,” Dimitri states calmly. El glances at Dedue quickly. Dimitri asked if it was alright to use his last name for her and Dedue assented. What else could they do?

“Welcome, Prince Dimitri,” the guards’ shoulders stiffen and they bow, signaling for the gate to be opened. They will have a few days before class starts to get settled in. 

The gate leads to a small marketplace, brimming with merchants and villagers. El edges closer to Dimitri, her grip on the reins tightening. She still does not like loud crowds. 

A man with green hair stands at the front of the marketplace that leads to the rest of the monastery. “Prince Dimitri,” he greets stiffly. “My name is Seteth, I am assistant to the Archbishop, Lady Rhea. I am pleased to see you here. How were your travels?” 

“Excellent, thank you.” Dimitri responds accordingly. “Thank you for your correspondence last year. It was quite helpful.” Seteth nods before examining El and Dedue. 

“Your quarters will be on the left-hand side of the monastery. Your names will be on the rooms so you will know where you will be staying. Welcome to Garreg Mach Monastery.” He bows before stalking off, headed towards the right side of the building. El looks around, her eyes taking in the large greenhouse, the pond next to it, and everything else. This is where they will be staying for the next year.

**Author's Note:**

> Writer's Block for Glass Axe again. I finished up Unexpected Bonds yesterday but it didn't seem to do very much. So here we are. I've had this on the back burner because of Unexpected Bonds and didn't want three open works at once. Like Unexpected Bonds, this will update sporadically and when I feel like it. Enjoy!


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